World Food Programme Fighting Hunger Worldwide

Heavy seasonal rains and rising waters of the Niger River in August 2012 caused severe flooding in the northern regions of the country, affecting over 50,000 people in the communes of Karimama and Malanville. In response to the flooding, WFP implemented a three month Emergency Operation to provide food assistance to flood affected people. Full family rations were provided for a duration of six weeks. The food basket consisted of a daily ration of maize, beans, vegetable oil and salt.

The same regions that were affected by the floods this year saw severe flooding in 2010 and drought in 2011. Acres of crops were devastated, worsening the food security of many households. 

A joint mission consisting of UN agencies, the Government of Benin, and humanitarian NGOs in Benin reported that the flooding in northern Benin affected around 9,300 households, and damaged around 4,600 houses and over 20 schools. 

The flooding significantly damaged fields not yet harvested, destroying around 9,700 hectares of land in Malanville and 14,000 hectares of land in Karimama. This constituted roughly 50 percent of all arable land in the region, the majority of which is used for rice cultivation.

In addition to physical damages, the flooding disrupted the start of the academic school year, scheduled for October 1st, as many schools were either flooded or used as temporary shelters.

In response to the flooding, WFP implemented a three month Emergency Operation to provide immediate food assistance to flood affected people. Full family rations were provided for a duration of six weeks. The food basket consisted of a daily ration of maize, beans, vegetable oil and salt. 

WFP Benin Country Director Moumini Ouedraogo stands alongside a beneficiary who has just received her WFP food ration.

The project paid special attention to the estimated 9,000 children under 5 years old from the affected communes by providing rations to prevent acute malnutrition. 

WFP targeted community members and families hosting displaced person, sharing their limited food supply. These hosts are populations who already faced a precarious nutritional status due to the 2011 drought.